But the really absurd TES requirements are still to come with Worlds. (Huge increases in min TES for that comp.) If this is any indication, it looks like they are not very willing to budge on minimum TES requirements. Almost unbelievable. I swear, at times it feels like you couldn't think of better ways to kill off the sport if you tried.

How difficult is it to meet these standards?. Does this mean that there will be a bunch of countries that cannot send anyone at all?

Yes, especially the Centre and South America ones, and minor Asian countries like the South-east ones... Only Japan, China, USA, Canada plus a couple of other skaters (like Isadora Williams for Brazil) will actually compete, I think.

Yes, especially the Centre and South America ones, and minor Asian countries like the South-east ones... Only Japan, China, USA, Canada plus a couple of other skaters (like Isadora Williams for Brazil) will actually compete, I think.

I might be ok with that if they increased the allotment of skaters that stronger countries can send. But to limit the number of skaters in such an arbitrary way is unfortunate because it denies an amazing experience for these skaters to represent their country against the best in the world.

I might be ok with that if they increased the allotment of skaters that stronger countries can send. But to limit the number of skaters in such an arbitrary way is unfortunate because it denies an amazing experience for these skaters to represent their country against the best in the world.

I think the whole point was to cut back on the number of skaters at the worlds, so it has no reason to increase the allotment.

Well. I actually think it's good for the sport. Participation in Bs is really increasing. Skaters are pushing themselves to meet the minimum requirement. Let's face it, skaters from smaller countries won't actually improve if they just show up every year at Worlds.
But yeah, the minimum TES for worlds seems a bit too high.

But the really absurd TES requirements are still to come with Worlds. (Huge increases in min TES for that comp.) If this is any indication, it looks like they are not very willing to budge on minimum TES requirements. Almost unbelievable. I swear, at times it feels like you couldn't think of better ways to kill off the sport if you tried.

I am absolutely furious about this.

The absolute least that ISU could have done was to have a fill up rule so that we get 30 or at the very least 24 skaters entered, if not enough have met the minimum score.

Figure skating is an extremely complex sport that requires huge resources in order to be trained competitively. It can take a developing federation many many years before they can get a decent skating program off the ground. Excluding skaters only ends up slowing down that development.

But I guess the ISU only cares about Japan and other "big" federations because that's where the money is.

It put some skaters at a disadvantage, because some have to skate three times while others only twice. What I'd like to see is perhaps taking the top 24 skaters based on the season's highest scores and putting them in the WC, with the caveat that federations can choose only up to 3 skaters in they have >3 in the top 24.

Here is why I don't like it. Individual skaters do not belong to the ISU. The members of the ISU are national federations. With membership in the organization comes certain privileges (as well as certain obligations, like paying your dues).

One of the privileges of membership is the right to send your national champion to the world championships and to euros/four continents. If members do not receive any benefit from the ISU, why join in the first place?

Having everybody skate the short program is the only fair way of going about it, really.

Originally Posted by Mathman

One of the privileges of membership is the right to send your national champion to the world championships and to euros/four continents. If members do not receive any benefit from the ISU, why join in the first place?